Justice J B Pardiwala stayed the warrant against Solanki yesterday while admitting his petition challenging August 24 order of the court of additional chief judicial magistrate of Bhavnagar.

The case is 20 years old. The high court also stayed lower court's order which dismissed Solanki's discharge application.

An FIR was filed against Solanki at Vartej police station in Bhavnagar district under sections 120 (B) (conspiracy), 171 (D) (impersonation at elections) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the IPC on May 2, 1996.

Solanki and his aides Atul Koli and Dinesh Koli were accused of possessing bottles of liquid used to erase ink marks on finger to facilitate repeat voting during a Lok Sabha election.

Solanki was then contesting as an independent candidate.

Police filed a charge sheet against Solanki on May 10, 1999, and showed him as an absconding accused.

Solanki moved the local court seeking discharge from the case. The court, in May last year, dismissed his plea and issued an arrest warrant in August.